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Tuesday, July 12, 2011

A new book in the nationally bestselling series that has wowed critics and readers alike.

David Loogan returns! Loogan is living in Ann Arbor with Detective Elizabeth Waishkey and her daughter, Sarah. He's settled into a quiet routine as editor of the mystery magazine Gray Streets-until one day he finds a manuscript outside his door. It begins: "I killed Henry Kormoran."

Anthony Lark has a list of names-Terry Dawtrey, Sutton Bell, Henry Kormoran. To his eyes, the names glow red on the page. They move. They breathe. The people on the list have little in common except that seventeen years ago they were involved in a notorious robbery. And now Anthony Lark is hunting them down, and he won't stop until every one of them is dead.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Harry Dolan graduated from Colgate University, where he majored in philosophy and studied fiction-writing with the novelist Frederick Busch. He earned a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and currently works as a freelance editor. He grew up in Rome, New York, and now lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his partner Linda Randolph.

GUEST REVIEW:

Thank you to Larry DeLeon for his super review of VERY BAD MEN. Larry really liked the book and I think you can tell it from his review.

For those who like their whodunits with a light touch, I suggest giving Very Bad Men a read. In this modern fable, author Harry Dolan treats the reader to a mystery yarn that is a real page turner. Its contemporary setting doesn't disguise the fact that this is a classic detective story with an unlikely hero mystery editor David Loogan (even the name is a tease). It's entertaining all the way through with vividly drawn characters - except for the narrator's main squeeze. (A necessity I think to keep her from stealing our hero's spotlight.) You have to suspend disbelief to buy it and no character exists outside of a retooled Columbo script, but I think that's part of the appeal. At least none of them are boring. It's great fun, and I for one am waiting for David Loogan's next case. Who would ever think upstate Michigan would be so fascinating?Guest Reviewer, Larry DeLeon, Managing Director of Enventys Direct, and Supervising Producer of Bouncing Brains Productions, has reviewed several books for "Bingo" including ALTAR OF BONES,THE EMPEROR'S TOMB, and THE INNER CIRCLE. Larry lives with his fabulous wife and their dog Hoover in North Carolina. Thank you once again, Larry, for a wonderful review and spending time with my blog!

MY THOUGHTS ON VERY BAD MEN:Just to add a few of my own thoughts to Larry’s review, I was glad to find out that author Harry Dolan’s VERY BAD MEN is a novel that stands alone very well. I knew he had written BAD THINGS HAPPEN but I hadn’t read it and that always worries me. Worry not! Larry is correct above in his review as this book has enough twists and turns to keep one reading long into the night. I have to say I liked how the “bad man” was named right up front but that is about all you know in VERY BAD MEN. The surprises just keep on coming and if murder isn’t enough, Dolan has added the likes of politics, kidnapping, and just enough violence to make it really authentic. The mystery is REALLY a mystery for a change and I for one, was happy to read one that didn’t follow the same old formula we have been used to by even some our best authors. I will surely seek out more of Harry Dolan’s work from now on!

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO LYDIA AND THE GOOD FOLKS

AT PUTNAM/PENGUIN PUBLISHING, I HAVE

ONE COPY OF THIS EXCITING BOOK

TO GIVE AWAY TO ONE LUCKY READER

--U.S. AND CANADIAN RESIDENTS ONLY
--NO P. O. BOXES
---INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
IN CASE YOU WIN!
--ALL COMMENTS MUST BE SEPARATE TOCOUNT AS MORE THAN ONE!HOW TO ENTER:

+1 ENTRY:COMMENT ON WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT YOU READ ABOVE, ESPECIALLY THE GUEST REVIEW OF VERY BAD MEN, AND DON'T FORGET YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

+1 MORE ENTRY:BLOG ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY AND COME BACK HERE AND LEAVE ME YOUR LINK

+1 MORE ENTRY:GO TO TWITTER AND FOLLOW@PutnamBooks. TWEET ABOUT THIS GIVEAWAY THERE AND COME BACK AND LEAVE ME A LINK.

+1 MORE ENTRY:COMMENT ON ONE CURRENT GIVEAWAY OF MINE THAT YOU HAVE ENTERED. IF YOU HAVE ENTERED MORE THAN ONE, COMMENT ON EACH YOU HAVE ENTERED SEPARATELY.

What another great guest review. I like the idea that it's a contemporary mystery with all the hallmarks of the traditional detective story. It was just reviewed in the paper here too, would love to win! Thanks!JHolden955(at)gmail(dot)com

Since I work in the school systems and am constantly reading work related materials, I devote my summer reading to fiction, and mysteries are what keep the pages turning. I've done all the James Patterson and would love to try a new author. This sounds like a good way to start!SusieQ @ Hinson

Loved the guest review! I like mysteries and will have to add this one to my TBR list. I visited Michigan a couple of years ago and loved the beautiful country. Maybe there is a mystery that can take place in Frankenmuth?(Hope I spelled that right)

I'm not entering this giveaway because I have a copy of this novel - and I just wanted to say it is an ABSOLUTELY fantastic mystery. I loved reading this novel, and it kept me at the edge of my seat every minute, every page...the entire way. LOVED IT! :)